Young Turk
During the 1970s, Chamlong and other Class 7 alumni formed the Young Military Officers Group, commonly referred to as the "Young Turks". The Young Turks espoused an ideology of incorruptible leadership and anti-leftism.
During the 1970s conflicts between the pro-democracy and students movement on the one, and rightist paramilitaries on the other side, Chamlong admittedly attended rallies of the right-wing "Village Scouts". The Young Turks supported the military coup against the elected government of Seni Pramoj, following the bloody 6 October 1976 incident. The role the Young Turks played in the brutal massacre of student demonstrators gathered at Thammasat University, if any, is still debated.
The Young Turks also supported the coup against the military government of Tanin Kraivixien, who was seen as too far right. The coup installed Kriangsak Chomanand, Chamlong's commanding officer, as Prime Minister. In 1979, Kriangsak appointed then Lieutenant Colonel Chamlong to the military-dominated Senate of Thailand. The late 1970s and the ascension of Young Turk mentor General Prem Tinsulanonda to the Premiership in 1980 marked the apex of Class 7's influence in Thai politics. Prem appointed Chamlong as his secretary, an extremely powerful position.
Read more about this topic: Chamlong Srimuang
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